Impreza WRX line speaks performance

For years, Subaru has been known for utility, with its great Outback wagons, and for vehicles that go like tanks in the snow, which is why the brand has always been more popular in the frozen Northern states than in the Sun Belt.

But the company recently has been making a name for itself among performance addicts, thanks to the great Impreza WRX line of pocket-size, street-legal race cars.

What these vehicles prove is that small cars don’t have to be boring, and my tester this past week, the WRX STI model, is perhaps the most fun and least boring small car I’ve ever driven.

The newest generation of these performance-oriented versions of Subaru’s compact Impreza sedan/hatchback arrived two years ago, offering a level of excitement well above that of the entry-level Impreza model that competes against cars such as the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla.

With its turbocharged, 224-hoursepower, 2.5-liter boxer four-cylinder engine, the base 2008 WRX offered a serious upgrade to the 170-horsepower normally aspirated boxer under the hood of the entry-level Impreza.

Last year, Subaru decided 224 horsepower wasn’t enough and cranked it up to 265. Torque output was increased as well, to 244 foot-pounds from last year’s 226.

But as much fun as the base WRX is, it’s no match for the top-of-the-line STI model, which roars down the road with its 305 horsepower and 290 foot-pounds of torque. It also comes with a six-speed manual gearbox, whereas the regular WRX has a five-speed. No automatic is offered in either vehicle.

Base WRX sedan models begin at $24,995 (plus $695 freight). The WRX also is offered in a five-door hatchback version, with a starting price of $25,495 (plus freight). Both the sedan and hatchback come in a “Premium” version, priced at $27,495 for the sedan and $27,995 for the hatchback.

To get the STI, though, you’ll have to pay a lot more: It’s $34,995, plus freight and options. With our tester, the total sticker was $39,490, after the $3,800 options package was added. The STI comes only in the five-door hatchback body style.

The options package brought the silver BBS wheels and a great navigation system, but neither of those added anything to the performance of the STI and easily could be left off. You could add your own portable nav system for $100 or so, and who needs those fancy wheels anyway?

For 2010, the navigation system now includes Bluetooth capability, and there is now black Alcantara leather upholstery with red stitching in the STI, replacing the gray leather with silver stitching.

All U.S.-sold Subarus come with the company’s Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system. This full-time system includes a viscous-type locking center differential, which normally sends torque equally to front and rear wheels. But when wheel slippage is detected, more power automatically is directed to the wheels with the best traction.

The STI’s Driver Controlled Center Differential has three performance settings, along with six manual differential-lock positions.

The power is normally split 41 percent front and 59 percent rear, and a mechanical limited-slip center differential was added to assist the electronically controlled differential.

Of course, the electronic stability control system can be turned off by the push of a button to allow for more driver control during spirited performance.

The STI was taken from the rally circuit and is the perfect companion for weekend autocross and track events.

For $10,000 less, though, the regular WRX is pleasing enough for those of us who can’t quite afford the STI, and it outshines just about everything else of its size and class on the road. It’s suitable for those weekend competitions, as well.

The WRX also is a decent family car. With seating for five, including a back seat that’s able to accommodate even three adults (if they’re not too big), it can handle around-town commuting and weekend highway cruising quite well.

For even less money, the base Impreza sedan with the 170-horsepower engine starts at just $17,495, and it’s no slouch. It comes with all-wheel drive, as well, and its power is still way above the 140 horsepower of the base Civic and the 132 of the base Corolla.

Even the performance-oriented Civic Si model, a favorite of enthusiasts on a budget, comes with just 197 horsepower out of the box and a price similar to that of the base WRX.

More comparable to the WRX is the MazdaSpeed3 hatchback, with a 263-horsepower engine and starting price of just less than $24,000 (with freight).

Mitsubishi offers the Lancer Evolution, the supercar version of its compact sedan, but it’s more of a competitor to the WRX STI than to the base WRX. The Evo has 291 horsepower and a starting price of about $33,000.

Standard WRX features include a power moon roof; projector-beam fog lights; dual-mode, heated front seats; heated outside mirrors; windshield-wiper de-icing system; and an upgraded audio system, which includes a six-disc, in-dash CD changer with MP3/WMA playback, 10 speakers (six in the front doors and four in the rear doors) and surround sound. Also included are steering-wheel audio controls and an auxiliary jack for an iPod or other MP3 player.

The entire Impreza line was moved to an all-new platform two years ago, with a longer wheelbase, a new double-wishbone rear suspension and a wider and deeper trunk. A 60/40 split-folding rear seat allows for expansion of the cargo space when the rear seat isn’t needed for passengers.

The STI’s handling is nothing short of phenomenal. Steering is precise and predictable, which allows for some spirited sport driving (within the speed limits, of course).

Subaru says the Impreza’s engine was placed lower in the chassis in this new generation to help lower the center of gravity and to improve steering response. On the highway, the STI is quiet and comfortable, although the ride can be a bit harsh over bumps because of the stiff performance-oriented suspension.